Diagnostic device for a washing appliance, and associated apparatus and method

• US 7,928,855 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Gault, Gregory, Fisher, Gary Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/031,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20090205690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 340/635, 340/636.12, 340/636.16, 340/653, 340/657, 340/664, 340/815.4, 340/815.41, 340/815.45, 340/870.16, 323/318, 700/90, 134/57.D, 134/58.D, 134/18
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0049 Detection or prevention of malfunction, including accident prevention arrangements to prevent clogging of filters A47L15/4208; safety arrangements for preventing water damage A47L15/421
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/30 Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/44 Current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/47 Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of pumps safety arrangements D06F37/42
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24053 Diagnostic of controlled machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24092 Warning display lights, lamps, leds on module
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24093 Display, show place of error, fault
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2633 Washing, laundry

Abstract

A diagnostic device for a washing appliance, and associated apparatus and method are provided. A control unit is in communication with at least one operational component of the washing appliance and with at least one control switch device. The control unit is responsive to the at least one control switch device to control the at least one operational component. The control unit is further configured to monitor the at least one operational component so as to identify a failure thereof, and to provide an indicia of the failure. A panel member is associated with the control unit, and includes an indicia of the at least one operational component. The at least one operational component indicia is configured to cooperate with the corresponding failure indicia so as to provide a perceptible identification of the at least one operational component experiencing the failure.

Claims

1. A diagnostic device for a washing appliance, comprising:

a control unit in communication with a plurality of operational components of the washing appliance and with at least one control switch device, the control unit being responsive to the at least one control switch device to control the plurality of operational components, the control unit being further configured to monitor an electrical current consumed by the plurality of operational components so as to identify at least one operational component experiencing a failure, and provide an indicia of the failure, whereby interruption of the electrical current associated with at least one of the plurality of operational components is associated with the failure of the at least one of the plurality of operational components; and

a panel member associated with the control unit, the panel member including an indicia of the at least one operational component experiencing the failure, the at least one operational component indicia being configured to cooperate with the corresponding failure indicia so as to provide a perceptible identification of the at least one operational component experiencing the failure.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is disposed within a control unit housing assembly, and the control unit housing assembly comprises the panel member.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the panel member is operably engaged with the control unit housing assembly such that the panel member forms an externally-visible surface of the control unit housing assembly whereby the perceptible identification is viewable without accessing the control unit within the control unit housing assembly.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit housing assembly is adapted to be disposed about a forward side of the washing appliance such that the panel member is accessible and viewable from the forward side.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises a current-measuring device for monitoring the electrical current consumed by the plurality of operational components.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the current-measuring device is an ammeter device.

7. A device according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator element operably engaged with the control unit for providing the failure indicia.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the indicator element further comprises a light source configured to emit light as the failure indicia.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the panel member is further configured to be in communication with the light source such that the emitted light associated with the failure indicia is transmitted through the panel member, in association with the corresponding at least one operational component indicia, so as to provide the perceptible identification of the at least one operational component experiencing the failure.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein the light source further comprises a light-emitting diode.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of operational components comprises at least two of:

a main wash pump, a drain valve, a drain pump, an upper drying fan, a lower drying fan, a thermister, a turbidity sensor, a water valve, an internal water heater, or an inline water heater.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of operational components comprises:

a main wash pump, a drain valve, a drain pump, a drying fan, a thermister, a turbidity sensor, a water valve, and a water heater.

13. A washing appliance, comprising:

a plurality of operational components;

at least one control switch device;

a control unit in communication with the a plurality of operational components and with the at least one control switch device, the control unit being responsive to the at least one control switch device to control the plurality of operational components, the control unit being further configured to monitor an electrical current consumed by the plurality of operational components so as to identify at least one operational component experiencing a failure, and provide an indicia of the failure, whereby interruption of the electrical current associated with at least one of the plurality of operational components is associated with the failure of the at least one of the plurality of operational components; and

a panel member associated with the control unit, the panel member including an indicia of the at least one operational component experiencing the failure, the at least one operational component indicia being configured to cooperate with the corresponding failure indicia so as to provide a perceptible identification of the at least one operational component experiencing the failure.

14. A washing appliance according to claim 13, wherein the control unit is disposed within a control unit housing assembly, and the control unit housing assembly comprises the panel member.

15. A washing appliance according to claim 14, wherein the panel member is operably engaged with the control unit housing assembly such that the panel member forms an externally-visible surface of the control unit housing assembly whereby the perceptible identification is viewable without accessing the control unit within the control unit housing assembly.

16. A washing appliance according to claim 14, wherein the control unit housing assembly is disposed about a forward side of the washing appliance such that the panel member is accessible and viewable from the forward side.

17. A washing appliance according to claim 13, wherein the control unit further comprises a current-measuring device for monitoring the electrical current consumed by the plurality of operational components.

18. A washing appliance according to claim 17, wherein the current-measuring device is an ammeter device.

19. A washing appliance according to claim 13, further comprising an indicator element operably engaged with the control unit for providing the failure indicia.

20. A washing appliance according to claim 19, wherein the indicator element further comprises a light source configured to emit light as the failure indicia.

21. A washing appliance according to claim 20, wherein the panel member is further configured to be in communication with the light source such that the emitted light associated with the failure indicia is transmitted through the panel member, in association with the corresponding at least one operational component indicia, so as to provide the perceptible identification of the at least one operational component experiencing the failure.

22. A washing appliance according to claim 20, wherein the light source further comprises a light-emitting diode.

23. A method of identifying component failure in a washing appliance, comprising:

identifying a failure of at least one of a plurality of operational components of the washing appliance by monitoring an electrical current consumed by the plurality of operational components with a control unit, the control unit being in communication with at least one control switch device and responsive thereto to control the plurality of operational components, and providing an indicia of the failure, whereby interruption of the electrical current associated with at least one of the plurality of operational components is associated with the failure of the at least one of the plurality of operational components; and

communicating the failure indicia with an indicia of the corresponding at least one operational component experiencing the failure, the at least one operational component indicia being operably engaged with a panel member associated with the control unit, so as to provide a perceptible identification of the at least one operational component experiencing the failure.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising disposing the control unit within a control unit housing assembly comprising the panel member.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising operably engaging the panel member with the control unit housing assembly such that the panel member forms an externally-visible surface of the control unit housing assembly whereby the perceptible identification is viewable without accessing the control unit within the control unit housing assembly.

26. A method according to claim 24, further comprising disposing the control unit housing assembly about a forward side of the washing appliance such that the panel member is accessible and viewable from the forward side.

27. A method according to claim 23, wherein monitoring an electrical current consumed by the plurality of operational components further comprises monitoring the electrical current consumed by the plurality of operational components with a current-measuring device associated with the control unit.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the current-measuring device is an ammeter device.

29. A method according to claim 23, wherein providing an indicia of the failure further comprises providing an indicia of the failure with an indicator element operably engaged with the control unit.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein providing an indicia of the failure with an indicator element further comprises providing an indicia of the failure with an indicator element comprising a light source configured to emit light as the failure indicia.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the panel member is further configured to be in communication with the light source, and the method further comprises transmitting the emitted light associated with the failure indicia through the panel member, in association with the corresponding at least one operational component indicia, so as to provide the perceptible identification of the at least one operational component experiencing the failure.

32. A method according to claim 30, wherein providing an indicia of the failure with an indicator element comprising a light source further comprises providing an indicia of the failure with an indicator element comprising a light-emitting diode.